§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)asked the Postmaster General whether his attention had been called to to the fact that, whilst the postage on book packets and patterns to Australia and New Zealand is one penny for one ounce and fourpence for four ounces, it costs no less than eightpence to send a packet weighing four ounces and a-half, or in other words, fourpence for an extra half ounce; and, whether it was his intention to put an end to or lessen this difference of rates?
§ *MR. RAIKESThe rates of postage on book packets and patterns to Australia and New Zealand are substantially those quoted by the hon. Member, though he has omitted (perhaps unin- 481 tentionally) to mention an intermediate rate of twopence for two ounces between the minimum charge of one penny for the first ounce, and the maximum charge of fourpence for four ounces. It is the fact that a packet exceeding four ounces is charged fourpence additional for each four ounces. This is an old scale of charge, which survives only in the case of the few non-Union Colonies—such as Australia and New Zealand—and which I should be glad to see revised.